There are various sensors for detecting the presence of a volatile organic compound (i.e., VOC). Optochemical sensors use electromagnetic radiation to detect the presence of VOCs, for example, by measuring changes in the optical properties of a sensor material upon exposure to a VOC.
As a general rule, the response time of such sensors depends, at least in part, on the rate at which a VOC may be absorbed into, or adsorbed onto the surfaces of, the sensor material. Materials that are known to be useful as sensing materials in optochemical sensors include those known variously in the art as “polymers of intrinsic microporosity” or as “intrinsically microporous polymers.” Intrinsically microporous polymers are typically characterized by poor packing efficiency, giving a structure in the solid state that has a large pore volume. Volatile compounds can typically be sorbed within these pores, making such materials of interest in sensor applications.